US 5,591,195 AGranted

Apparatus and method for engrafting a blood vessel

OwnerSyde Taheri, Howard J. Leonhardtinventors

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for engrafting a blood vessel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a hollow tubular graft of a preselected cross section having a proximal and distal end containing compressable and expandable nitinol springs, and connecting bars to facilitate physical communication between both springs. Furthermore, the apparatus contains a transport and deployment member for delivering said hollow tublar graft to an engrafting site within a blood vessel. The transport and deployment apparatus is comprised of an insertion catheter having a graft balloon and a tip balloon, as well as multiple inner tracks for injection of fluid into said balloons and the blood vessel interior. The method includes transport and deployment of said graft, as well as non surgical movement and removal of said graft in the event of misplacement.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An apparatus for engrafting a blood vessel comprising:

a hollow tubular graft of a preselected cross section having a proximal end, a distal end, and a middle portion;
and said hollow tubular graft being capable of substantially deforming so as to conform to an interior surface of said blood vessel;
a compressible and expandable proximal spring perpendicularly located at said proximal end of said hollow tubular graft, and said proximal spring being capable of deforming so as to conform to
the interior surface of said blood vessel;
said proximal spring containing sufficient outward force to exert continuous force against
and inner wall of said blood vessel;
said proximal spring being comprised of nitinol;
a compressible and expandable distal spring perpendicularly
located at said distal end of said hollow tubular graft, and said distal spring being capable of deforming so as to conform to the interior surface of said blood vessel;
said distal spring containing sufficient outward force to exert continuous force against the inner wall of said blood vessel;
said distal spring being comprised of nitinol;
at least one flexible connecting bars for maintaining physical communication between said proximal and distal springs;
said at least one connecting bars being comprised of nitinol;
a graft material;
said graft material encasing said proximal spring, said distal spring, and said at least one connecting bars;
said graft material being distensible at said distal and said proximal ends to facilitate expansion of said proximal and distal springs.

13 more elements

A method for engrafting a blood vessel comprising the steps of:

a. providing a sizing means for sizing a diameter of said blood vessel and the length of a rupture;
b. sizing said diameter of said blood vessel and length of said rupture with said sizing means;
c. pre-loading an insertion catheter having a tip balloon, a graft balloon, and at least one inner track within a graft having a distal and proximal end;
positioning said insertion catheter with said tip balloon extending outward from said distal end of said graft;
d. pre-loading said graft and said insertion catheter within a sheath introducer;
e. providing a means for inflating and deflating said tip balloon;
f. inflating said tip balloon;
g. inserting said sheath introducer into said blood vessel;
h. moving said sheath introducer through said blood vessel to said rupture;
i. providing a means for verifying position of said graft;
j. verifying said position of said graft;
k. providing a means for inflating and deflating said graft balloon:
l. providing a push rod;
m. inserting said push rod into one of said one or more inner tracks of said insertion catheter;
n. providing a means for reducing a mean arterial and pulmonary artery venous blood pressure and subsequently returning said mean arterial pressure and pulmonary artery venous blood pressure to a normal pressure;
o. reducing said mean arterial and pulmonary artery venous blood pressure to said normal pressure;
p. inflating said graft balloon while applying inward force to said push rod and pulling back said sheath introducer until both said proximal and distal nitinol springs are released from said sheath introducer;
q. returning said mean arterial pressure and pulmonary artery venous blood pressure to said normal pressure;
r. slowly deflating said graft balloon;
s. removing said insertion catheter from said blood vessel.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.